Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores is contracting with Microsoft and Novell - Microsoft's preferred Linux partner - to build out the company's Web operations, according to a Wal-Mart executive. On Tuesday, Microsoft and Novell are expected to announce that Wal-Mart is the latest customer to purchase both Microsoft software and support certificates for Novell's Suse Linux Enterprise Server.

Walmart of course is using this for FUD of its own: scaring competitors that they are "very concerned" about the "huge problem", suggesting the hoops through which others need to jump and raising barriers of entry to startups.

Since when did IT become a barrier to entry for a new retail store? Microsoft is just about at the bottom of my list of concerns if I'm starting a new retail chain, right below how much I'm going to charge for a 12 pack of dorritos lunch packs.